Nachitos Recipe

Prepare sauce

Preheat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Place tomatillos and chiles in the hot skillet and roast, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and softened, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a blender with the quartered onion, garlic, cilantro (reserve a little cilantro for garnish), and 1/2 tsp salt. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and blend to a smooth green salsa. Taste and add lime juice and more salt if needed.

Brown pork

Season pork cubes with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork in batches until nicely caramelized on all sides, 6–8 minutes total. Remove pork and set aside.

Simmer pork in green sauce

Pour blended green salsa into the pot, add remaining 1/2 cup stock and bring to a simmer. Return browned pork to the pot, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until pork is tender and shreddable, about 40–50 minutes (or place in a 325°F / 160°C oven for 1–1¼ hours). When tender, shred pork pieces with two forks and stir in 1 tbsp lime juice. Keep warm.

Heat 2 tbs butter or oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onion and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft, deeply golden, and caramelized, 25–35 minutes. If onions begin to stick, deglaze with a splash of water. Stir in 1 tsp brown sugar in the last 5 minutes for deeper color and set aside.

Combine diced tomato, 1/4 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, minced 1/2 jalapeño, 1 tbs lime juice, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste and refrigerate until assembly.

Prepare chips (optional crisping)

If your chips are store-bought and you want extra-crispy warm chips, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss chips with 2 tbs vegetable oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 5–7 minutes until hot and crisp. Alternatively, use chips as-is.

Layer nachos

Arrange half of the chips on an ovenproof platter or baking sheet in an even layer. Scatter half of the shredded Oaxaca cheese over the chips. Spoon half of the warm puerco verde evenly across the cheese layer. Add half of the caramelized onions. Top with remaining chips, the rest of the cheese, remaining puerco verde, and caramelized onions.

Melt cheese

Place assembled nachos under a broiler on high, 6–8 inches from the heat source, for 2–4 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Watch closely to avoid burning. Alternatively, bake at 375°F (190°C) for 6–8 minutes.

Finish & serve

Remove nachos from oven. Spoon pico de gallo across the top, add fresh jalapeño slices to taste, drizzle crema or dot with spoonfuls, and sprinkle extra cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.